Consciousness

The Word of God

Mark 1:40-45

A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, ‘If you choose, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

Some thoughts on today's scripture

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Again in this gospel we find Jesus moved with pity. Leprosy was a living death: the sufferer was isolated from family and community, and had to cry out ‘Unclean, unclean!’ when anyone approached. Touching the leper made Jesus ritually unclean also. There are no lengths to which Jesus will not go to help this man. He touches him, speaks to him, and gives him his freedom to be fully human again.

I spend a few moments with the leper before his cure, and then meet him afterwards. What might he say to me about faith in Jesus? About my pity for others in need? Whom do I touch?